


Sunshine Riptide

by Ambellina44



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Fluff, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship, Pregnancy, R plus L equals J
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-03-20 05:42:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13711068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambellina44/pseuds/Ambellina44
Summary: Lyanna finds herself pregnant after a one night stand with her brother's friend and she's dealing with it as best as she can. She never expected to be a mother but finds she is looking forward to raising her child with the help and support of her family.Modern AU centered around Lyanna raising Jon with plenty of Stark family fluff in the mix





	1. Chapter 1

Lyanna looked down at the five little sticks littering her bathroom sink. All of them showing a pink plus sign indicating that she was going to have a difficult road ahead of her. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to go to that college party, but Rhaegar Targaryen was going to be there and her brother Brandon wasn't giving her the opportunity she had been looking for. In hindsight it probably wasn't the greatest idea to flirt with her brother's friend the entire night and subsequently fall into bed with him. For that, she was staring at the proof right in front of her.

Perhaps five tests were a bit of an over kill but being sure was something Lyanna absolutely needed in this situation. After all there was no point in stirring up everyones emotions and causing trouble if there was none to be found. It had been almost two months since that party and she didn't even notice the first missed period. After the second she finally noticed and began to worry which led her here to this moment.

In the back of her mind she knew this was something she could handle. After all her brother Ned was also expecting a baby with his girlfriend so she wouldn't be completely alone in the parenting department. The worrisome things came from the circumstances. Her age for one was going to be an issue for her family because even though she was 18, she was still in the final year of high school and already had plans to attend university next fall.

The biggest issue was the identity of the father. He had a fiancée and a nearly two year old daughter and just so happened to be one of her brother Brandon's best friends. It was a scandal waiting to happen and one she did not really want to be on the opposite end of. She was sure she could keep the father a secret if she wanted to. No one knew she had slept with Rhaegar Targaryen except her close friend Howland and he would go to his grave keeping this secret. She was almost positive Rhaegar would never tell Brandon, or anyone for that matter, of their time together.

The only problem was that Rhaegar and Brandon were friends and it was very likely she would see him again, probably on and off for the rest of her life. He would be suspicious about the child's parentage as soon as he found out about the pregnancy. Lyanna was no saint and had slept with her fair share of guys but timing wise it could only be Rhaegars child. People would believe her if she told them she wasn't sure of the father. No one would question her too hard if she told them she'd rather not say. Her stubbornness was a skill and she had honed it well over the years. Plus, it was no one's business but her own. If she wanted to raise her child on her own, she would do just that.

However, that was a problem for another time. First, she needed to tell people she was pregnant and that in and of itself was going to be a challenge. Not that Lyanna was ashamed or afraid her family would kick her out. She was mostly nervous that she wouldn't be a good mother and was a little afraid of somehow messing everything up for her and her child. If she told people she was pregnant then it suddenly became real and everyone would start offering up their unwanted opinions on what to do. For now it was just her secret and somehow that made things easier, less messy. She knew telling her family was something that needed to be done and soon.

For starters she thinks Benjen was starting to suspect something was off with her. It's true for the past few weeks Lyanna was getting antsy and the morning sickness wasn't helping her hide things either. Luckily she had her own bathroom and most of her family wasn't home when she was. Usually it was just her and Benjen, which led to the two of them being close and each other's confidants. Unfortunately, this wasn't something she was sure Benjen could help her with, after all he was only 14.

She'd been locked in her bathroom for the past hour going over everything in her head. It was high time she went on with her day and attempt to act as if everything was normal. Maybe she would go speak to Howland since he knew she had slept with Rhaegar and he was always good with advice when Lyanna found herself in trouble. Perhaps he would have some advice on telling her family, or at the very least would support her and help her practice what she was going to say to her father and brothers. She could maybe talk to Catelyn as well considering she just went through this herself. But where Catelyn was in a stable relationship Lyanna was on her own and intended to keep it that way.

No matter what she chose to do she knew her family would support her but that didn't make the act of telling them any less scary. She knew her father wouldn't toss her out and would be her greatest support, but he would still be disappointed, and Brandon would attempt to find out the identity of the father so he could threaten him for knocking up his baby sister. Ned would only be supportive and in all likelihood would enlist Catelyn to baby prep with her. Benjen would be happy for her if that's what she wanted of him.

It was early enough on Saturday morning that everyone at home was still asleep so Lyanna was practically on her own. She decided to go downstairs for breakfast and then walk to the park while she waited for a more appropriate time to visit Howland. She had already snuck out and then back in this morning to buy pregnancy tests from a convenience store and was able to do so without waking anyone up. One thing Lyanna wasn't in the mood for was to talk to any of her family members until she'd recovered a bit from her shock.

______________

Walking to the park didn't take that long and it was a route Lyanna had taken many times in her life. This time it had a certain weight to it because she knew everything was going to change for her very soon. High school graduation was a month away and about six months after that she would be holding her baby in her arms, which was oddly a comforting thought.

Once Lyanna reached the park she sat on the same bench as always, the one by the small pond underneath the weirwood tree. For as long as she could remember this was her thinking spot. Ned showed her this very spot when they were small children and she regularly visited it when life got to be difficult or decisions needed to be made. It was safe to say this was the perfect time to be here. Being early in the morning she decided to sit here for a while before heading over to Howlands, in what she hoped would give him enough time to get ready for the day. Usually she would just go straight over to his house, but she was still struggling with how to tell Howland her news. Overall, she was terrified of the path put in front of her and was unsure if she was ready for such a big responsibility. Not only that but she really didn't want Rhaegar to find out he was the father, she didn't want to share her child with someone she only had a quick fling with especially when they were already in a committed relationship.

It would be best for everyone if she just kept her mouth shut on the father's identity. Brandon wouldn't try to kill his best friend, Elia Martell and her daughter could be spared the pain of her Fiancée's infidelity, and Lyanna herself could operate independently like she'd always done. Having a kid was never something she thought she wanted, especially under these circumstances. Underneath all the fear and anxiety there was excitement and the more she thought about it the harder it was to contain.

After stewing in her thoughts for a while Lyanna decided it was time to go and see Howland. Upon her arrival she found him waiting for her on his front porch. Howland had what Lyanna liked to say was a third eye because he always seemed to know when something was about to happen.

"Good morning Howland" Lyanna greeted "Do you think we could talk? I need your help with something"

Howland chuckled "You know I had a feeling you were going to show up with a request like that this morning." There was his third eye Lyanna thought

"Alright then I won't beat about the bush." She paused for a moment "I'm pregnant and I'm positive Rhaegar Targaryen is the father"

At her proclamation Howland look stunned for the briefest of moments only to bounce back fairly quickly.

"Are you sure?" Howland asked

"I'm fairly certain, I took five tests this morning and they all came back positive. Plus my period has skipped two months now" Lyanna took a deep breathe "And before you say anything I am certain Rhaegar is the father. I haven't been with anyone this year but him and no I don't want to tell him about the baby. I'd rather keep everyone guessing about the father than anyone finding out its him."

Howland just looked at her like he always did when she told him her secrets. He was one of the only people she told everything to and he knew her better than perhaps she even knew herself.

"Are you sure that's what you want to do? I could go with you to talk to him. He has a daughter already I'm sure he would know what to do with another child"  
"That's just it Howland, I don't want to raise a child with him. He's got a fiancée and a life planned out already. I don't want to interfere with that any more than I already have. Not to mention this is something I would rather do by myself than with someone I had a one time fling with and hardly know outside of him being friends with my brother" Lyanna sat herself down on the seat next to Howland. "Besides I didn't come here to ask for your help telling Rhaegar. I came to get your help telling my family"

"Of course I'll help you." He responded almost instantly "What do you need me to do?"

"Well for starters I need you to help me figure out what I'm going to say to my father and brothers. You know how Brandon can be when I'm seemingly in trouble. He'll be livid at whoever got me pregnant so it's vital he never finds out its Rhaegar. I'm not worried in the slightest about Ned and Ben's reactions they'll be supportive and helpful for sure. My father is another story." Lyanna sighed. "He will probably be disappointed in me but after his shock wears off I'm sure he'll be as helpful as Ned and Benjen."

"If you're so sure in their reactions what help do you need from me?" Howland asked

"I don't know exactly. I guess I'm just afraid to say the words I'm pregnant to them. Unlike with you I don't tell my family every little thing I do and my sexual history might come as a shock to them. They all look at me as if I'm still little Lya and shattering that ideal so drastically is tough to comprehend"

"Well then it looks like we've got some brainstorming to do. Don't look so worried everything will be fine. I'll be here to help you and once your family knows they will too. You said it yourself, once the shock wears off they will be nothing but supportive."

"Thanks Howland, I really don't know what I would do without you. I've been driving myself crazy all morning keeping this all to myself."

Lyanna was relieved. She knew Howland would help her but she underestimated just how good it would feel to have someone else know about her pregnancy. Lyanna herself hadn't known all that long but this wasn't news she wanted to sit on. She wasn't entirely sure what she would do after telling her family but that was a problem for another day and by that point she would have even more people to help her figure things out. All in all, her day was looking up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyanna tells her family and things go exactly how she expected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little more rough than I wanted it to be, it was a lot harder to write than expected and I'm not entirely happy with it but I'm tired of trying to fix it so here it is.

Today was the day she was going to tell her family. It had been about a week since Lyanna found out she was pregnant and she'd started to come to terms with it. The reservations she held about telling her family had dissipated and she was just waiting for the relief of not having this secret between them. 

Family game night offered the perfect stage to share her news. For one everyone would be there, including Catelyn, and usually spirits were high. She would have to push for a friendly game because if things got to competitive the good moods would not last. Monopoly was completely out of the question so Deterring Brandon from campaigning to play it was going to be her number one goal. 

She was considering sitting down with Catelyn before everyone arrived at the house. Ned and Cat usually showed up early to game night before Brandon or even their father made an appearance. Having someone in the room besdies herself that knew the news she was going to drop would really take some pressure off. Howland was supposed to be there for her but he was working tonight and Lyanna was tired of waiting to say anything. Cat was a good option, she and Lyanna got along rather well and their shared situation was even more of a reason for Catelyn to be sympathetic. 

At the moment it was just her and Benjen at home, as it was most Friday afternoons. Ned and Catelyn could be walking in the door anywhere between now and the next few hours. She hoped it would be fairly soon. She was already trying to think of ways to get Ned to leave her and Catelyn alone for a little girl talk. She would probably have to enlist Benjen to help distract Ned for a while, which could be done easily if she suggested they have a rematch at Ben's favorite video game. Ned was stubborn like herself but in the end he would always cave to his younger siblings wishes. 

After about an hour of Lya trying to distract herself to keep the nerves down, Ned and Catelyn arrived, with Lyanna quickly setting her plan into action. Ned was a lot harder to goad into things than Brandon was, but she had years of experience in this department. Just as she thought he would, Ned took the bait, a little invitation from Benjen and the promise to have some girl talk with Cat was all she needed. 

She led Catelyn to her room so no one would overhear their conversation. This wasn't exactly an unusual occurrence because she liked Cat a lot and made plenty of efforts to get to know her over the years. They were far from best friends but they held a nice sisterly affection for one another. Once in her room Lyanna quickly shut the door and ushered Catelyn to sit on the bed. 

" I have something to tell you but you have to promise to not freak out on me" Lyanna was trying to stay as calm as she could. When Cat nodded for her to talk she took a deep breathe and began. "You and I have a lot more in common then we first thought, I'm pregnant"   
She paused for a moment to let what she had just said sink in for Cat. In what seemed like forever, but was really only a few seconds, Catelyn quickly found her bearings. 

"Is that good news or bad news? I can help in whatever way you want but I'd rather not have to keep this a secret from Ned, I assume you haven't told him or any of your family yet." Catelyn spoke with such support that it touched Lyanna very deep. 

"Not to worry, it's good news. I'm nervous and scared but also excited." Other than Howland Catelyn was now the only other person who knew Lyanna was expecting. "I'm going to tell everyone tonight but I wanted to tell you first because I would just feel more comfortable having someone in my corner when I tell my father and brothers, who as you know are all extremely overprotective." 

"I'm glad you thought I could be a good buffer for you. In a selfish kind of way I'm relieved because now I won't have to go through my pregnancy alone" 

"Yet another reason I wanted to tell you. Us unwed mothers have to stick together. Except you have Ned to help you and I'm going to do this on my own." Catelyn looked like she wanted to ask who the father was and Lyanna briefly thought about telling her. If she told Cat then she would probably tell Ned and he was horrible at keeping secrets so it was safest to keep that information to herself. "Before you ask I'm not divulging the name of the father. It meant nothing and frankly it's just easier if I don't involve him in any way. I know family is important to you, and it is to me as well, but this baby will have three loving uncles and a doting grandfather. Not to mention a cousin to play with and an aunt to spoil him." 

Catelyn smiled at the thought. Lyanna knew as well as Cat did that she and Ned would be married someday. In all honestly Lyanna was shocked Ned hadn't proposed the moment he found out Catelyn was expecting. 

"Ned and I have talked about marriage and we've decided not to do anything until the baby is born. We know we love each other and this baby isn't going to change any of that or make us rush into anything." Catelyn took a moment to compose herself. Lyanna knew this pregnancy hadn't been easy on her in the emotional department but Cat was brave and ready to take on the responsibility of raising a child. "As you know my father was not happy when I told him I was with child. He's too traditional and was upset about my unwed status. He doesn't seem to care that Ned and I are very stable in our relationship, all he cares about is if we're married or not. He tried to urge us into marrying before the baby is born but we refused. I know it's silly but I want my dream wedding and rushing things won't give me that. I'll gladly wait a year or two to have it and in the mean time I know Ned isn't going anywhere." 

"Besides if you wait a few years you'll likely have a little ring bearer or flower girl." Catelyn laughed at that, which is just what she wanted. Lyanna's news wasn't supposed to drag up all the negative things Cat had gone through when telling her family. In a way she was relieved of the reminder though because her family would never try to make her do anything or show such outward disappointment that Catelyns own family had shown to her. 

"Enough about my struggles. I'm glad you decided to share this with me Lya. I can help you get an appointment with my doctor if you're interested. Dr. Luwin is very good and one of the top OBGYN's in the city" 

"That actually sounds great! I hadn't really gotten that far yet in any of my planning. I've been so caught up on the whole telling my family portion of everything I hadn't even started to look for a doctor." 

Talking to Catelyn was by far the best idea Lyanna had made this week. She knew she would find a comradery in Cat she wouldn't get from her brothers. A lot of the things she would need help with were things her she would have gone to her mother for and it seemed like Catelyn would be willing to help her out. 

"I'm happy to help when you need something, all you have to do is ask. We'll be in this together." Catelyns support meant the world to her and reminded her just how perfect she was for Ned. 

_________________

Stark family game night was in full swing. Everyone was in high spirits and Lyanna realized her timing couldn't be more perfect. Tonight they had decided to play a rousing game of Taboo and as usual Lyanna and Benjen were dominating the other teams. Brandon who was usually a sore loser was even having a good time. Game night was a time honored tradition in the Stark household and also happened to the usual time when big news was shared with the family. 

After pausing a moment to take it all in and use the happiness radiating through as courage for what she was about to say to her family. Lyanna abruptly stood and began to speak. 

"I have an announcement" 

She just wanted to get everyones attention but as soon as they all turned her way she began to panic. Catelyn looked at her with reassurance and nodded her head in a way that told her everything was going to be fine. 

"Go ahead sweetheart we're all ears." said her father 

"Alright, I don't want anyone to get upset or be worried but I'm pregnant." She said the final words so fast she was unsure if anyone actually understood them. Her whole family just looked at her as if she had two heads and when she couldn't stand it anymore she spoke further. "Isn't anyone going to say anything?"

 

"That's good news Lya! You seem happy about this so I'm happy for you. We'll likely have our hands full though with two young Starks around the same age, I'm sure they'll be just as close as all of us were growing up" Ned was the first to regain his sense and bless him for it because it made Lyanna feel less uneasy about the situation. Her father was the next to react. 

"I'm not exactly happy with the situation you've found yourself in but, you are my daughter and I love you and I know I'll love my grandchild just as much." Rickard rose from his seat to give Lyanna a much appreciated hug. She felt like a child again whenever her father hugged her and it offered her a sense of comfort she hadn't realized she needed to bring her courage to get through her pregnancy. 

"I will be happy for you Lya" Brandon said "if you want me to pummel the guy just give me a name and I'll track him down right now. He won't know what hit him" 

"No Brandon, but thanks for the offer. I won't be divulging the fathers identity because it doesn't matter. We are not in a relationship and will never be in one. Its easier for everyone if he remains unaware and anonymous." 

Lyanna knew this news wouldn't sit well with her family but she didn't care, it was her business not there's. If they truly wanted to support her they would respect her wishes and let her handle things. Her brothers and father all looked at each other as if they were having a silent agreement. She knew whatever her father said next would be a silent agreement between all four of them. 

"Alright, we'll respect your wishes but just know none of us think it is the honorable move to make" It was just like her father to bring honor into the conversation but she was used to it and the guilt of its mention failed to even affect her. 

"At least your kid will have 3 uncles to fill the fatherly void." Brandon joked. A comforting joke that let Lyanna know she and her child would be well taken care of by her family and that things were going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think so far! I'm really trying to work on the dialogue I don't want it to be too wooden or unbelievable but its a learning process. Anyway I've got the first 8 chapters plotted out and next chapter will jump ahead a few months in the timeline of this story and hopefully some new characters will get introduced


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Starks host their annual Barbecue and Lyanna worries about dealing with all the guests

A few months had passed since Lyanna told her family about her pregnancy and things were progressing well. She had graduated high school, found a steady job, and strengthened her relationship with Catelyn. Now as she neared the five month mark she was starting to show. Lyanna had opted to not really tell anyone else about her impending motherhood because she didn’t find it necessary. All the people she cared about knew and from there if other people learned about it than that was fine with her but she wasn’t going to tell them herself. 

By not telling anyone a lot of rumors were starting to pop up. She had heard a few of them that she didn’t particularly like. Robert Baratheon seemed to be at the center of some of them. He was Neds closest friend and for years had somewhat of a crush on her. She had carefully avoided him whenever he was around for the past few months because he seemed to be angry that she was having a child and he wasn’t the father. He felt that he and Lyanna would be a good match despite never having had a conversation with her that lasted longer than two minutes. Plus he was a fool and definitely not Lyanna’s type. 

Unfortunately for her Robert was currently in her familys backyard helping her brother set up for the annual summer barbeque her family held every year. The barbeques were always great fun and times where her family and all their friends got together to just enjoy one anothers company. Lyanna loved them as a girl and still did. She was excited for the coming years as well because she would be able to share this tradition with her child and all the other future Stark children. 

This particular barbeque was going to be somewhat of a challenge for her though and not an easy one. Since she was starting to show and many of the people coming to this party either didn’t know she was expected or had vague knowledge of it. She was going to be in for an afternoon of people asking her all sorts of personal questions about her pregnancy that she just did not want to answer. She had been thinking up all sorts of snarky comments to respond with whenever she was asked who the father was. She didn’t want to be caught off guard and with how distracted she was bound to get this afternoon the chance of slipping up was fairly high. The worst thing that was likely going to happen at this barbeque was the possibility of running into Rhaegar Targaryen, the actual father of her child, and that was not a reunion she was looking forward to. 

Rhaegar was a smart man he would be able to tell that he could be the father of her child and that was something Lyanna didn’t want him to know. She would hopefully be able to convince him he wasn’t the father and have him move on with his life and forget about the night they shared together. She already had a lie ready to tell him which would work well if he didn’t go around asking other people about her pregnancy. She was simply going to tell him she was a little farther along than she actually was. He wouldn’t be fooled easily but she was hoping that she respected her enough not to pry and just take her word for it. 

However she felt about Rhaegar Targaryen those were the least of her problems. This was going to be the largest social gathering she had been to since beginning to show. Add that to the rumors of her pregnancy and actually seeing physical proof of those being true and she was in for a long day. It wasn’t that Lyanna didn’t want people to know she was expecting. After all in a few short months she would have a baby and it would have had to come from somewhere. She just didn’t want to deal with all the people fussing over her. 

She couldn’t hide in her bedroom all day no matter how much she wanted to. Knowing Catelyn and her father would need her help downstairs finishing up food prep she decided it was time to come out of hiding. The barbeque after all was a family affair and everyone did their part to throw a good party. 

“oh Lya! Perfect timing” Her father said to her as she walked into the kitchen. “I’ve got to run out and get the grill prep started so Cat could really use your help.” 

Catelyn was a good 7 months pregnant and had regularly been complaining to Lyanna about how her feet were killing her and two more months of this was way too long. This part of being pregnant wasn’t really something Lya was looking forward to but it seemed to be inevitable. 

“Sure I’ll help, you’ll have to give me strict orders though Cat because as you know I am a horrendous cook.” Unfortunately she wasn’t joking, her cooking skills were practically non-existent. Eggs and Ramen were just about the only things she could make without burning or setting something on fire. 

“Don’t worry Lyanna” Catelyn laughed. “Your father is just being over protective again. Most everything is cooked and ready to go or just needs to be placed in a serving dish so unless you somehow manage to set something on fire while putting chips into a bowl I think we’ll be fine.” 

“Well then I came down at the right time then. Truth is I was hiding from Robert. I haven’t seen him for months and I know he didn’t take my pregnancy news well. Ned told me he refused to believe it and thought it was all some jest.” At times she wished it was because life it would be less complicated but she was actually looking forward to being a mother and with Ned and Cat having a child so close in age it would be that much more fun. 

“We can run and hide together when the guests get to be too much. I’m right at that sweet spot where everyone wants to rub my stomach and feel the baby kick. Not to mention all the people giving me their advice on how to get through the delivery. I feel like all I can do is be polite and thank them for their advice.” Catelyn remarked “I’m ready to have the baby right now. I remember when my mother was pregnant with my brother Edmure and how she said all the attention, no matter how annoying it got to be, was always worth it when you held that baby in your arms for the first time. I wish she was here to give me advice like that” Like the Starks mother Catelyns too had died before she grew into her teenage years and it was still a rather sore subject for her especially right now with her own impending motherhood. Lyanna could relate because she often felt the same. 

“At least we will have each other for when things get to be too much.” Lyanna gave Cat’s arm a squeeze. “We may not have our mothers to guide us through this process but we have each other and that’s better than nothing” 

“ Ned where’s the beer?” Robert Baratheons voice came rushing in from the porch breaking up the moment Catelyn and Lyanna found themselves having. 

As Robert walked into the room he stopped and just stared as his eyes met Lyannas. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t know exactly what he needed to say. Lyanna took it upon herself to bring him out of his shock of seeing her and spoke up first. 

“Hello Robert, its good to see you” It wasn’t exactly good to see him but she was cutting her losses and just being polite today. “The beer is in the cooler on the other side of the counter. After you get one would you mind taking it out to the porch where the food tables are set up” 

“O-o-f course” He stammered. “It’s good to see you Lya. You look well” 

Robert didn’t seem to be exactly thrilled at how lyanna looked. Afterall she was pregnant with some other mans child and Robert seemed to be hung up on this idea that he and Lyanna would make the perfect couple. A delusion she herself did not share. It took everything she had to play nice with Robert and she only did it for Neds sake. Instead of giving him a verbal response she simply nodded her head in acknowledgement. An awkward silence quickly followed and would have felt like it lasted forever had Catelyn not saved them. 

“So Robert I heard you were dating around. Met anyone you’d like to see more than once?” Robert had a reputation of seeing multiple girls at once and a long list of one night stands. 

“Well as it turns out there is one girl who I find keeping my attention, but I don’t think she likes me as much as I like her” Robert replied. Lyanna thought it was a veiled attempt at having her feel sorry that she personally had no interest in him. Unfortunately for Robert, Lyanna felt neither sorry for him or cared that he was smitten with her. 

As if sensing she was distracted and just wanted Robert to be out of the kitchen Catelyn gently reminded him why he came inside in the first place. After getting a beer for himself he picked up the cooler and headed back outside away from Lyannas relieved expression. 

“Gahhh, I just wish he would get it through his thick skull that I will never want to date him. I’ve never shown any interest in him at all but he is so deluded that he just doesn’t pick up on it.” She ranted to Cat who just listened and offered words of condolences. 

“Well at least we know Robert Baratheon isn’t the father of your child.”

_______________________________________

After waiting around for hours the party was finally in full swing. Old Stark family friends were all in attendance just like they were every year. The Umbers, Karstarks, Reeds, Manderlys, and a whole bunch of other families were milling around the back yard getting drunk and telling all kinds of stories to the amusement of nearly all the guests. Catelyn was sitting under a tree in the shade while people kept coming up and asking her questions about her due date. Lyanna herself had been asked all sorts of questions about her own pregnancy and was getting extremely tired of it. She was currently making her way quickly and discreetly to the inside of the house to find a moment of peace. 

Sadly, peace would not find her because as she entered the kitchen she ran straight into Rhaegar Targaryen himself. Part of Lyanna knew this was going to happen and she would have to say something to him. She knew keeping him in the dark about him being the father to her unborn child wasn’t the nicest thing to do but it was what she thought best for everyone involved. She had prepared for this moment and was ready to face him but that other part of her was internally screaming. 

“Rhaegar! Hello, fancy seeing you here.” She mentally slapped herself because she realized how idiotic she sounded. She was flustered and it showed. 

“Well it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that I’m here considering I’ve been here every year Brandon and I have been friends.” As usual Rhaegar was calm and collected not showing any hint of how he really felt about seeing her or what he thought about the obvious baby bump she was sporting. “I am surprised and I guess I should offer my congragrualations on your impending motherhood.” 

“Yes thank you, I’m due in a few months” Lyanna basically shouted at him. She was having trouble controlling her words because she couldn’t think straight at the sight of him. Flashes of the night they spent together kept running through her head. And while it was fun and she wouldn’t take it back if she could she never signed up to do anything more with him. After taking a deep breathe she decided to just plunge ahead with her planned story to keep him off her back. “If you’re wondering if the baby is yours, its not so don’t worry yourself over anything.” 

Rhaegar looked stunned and Lya thought it may have been the only time she ever saw him loose his composure. 

“I didn’t think, well really I did but I wasn’t going to ask thinking it was your place to tell me. I want you to know that I wouldn’t just abandon you if the baby was mine though” he said sincerely. 

Lyanna felt bad for a moment because she was lying to him and here he was believing her and offering to help if it had been his, which to be clear the baby was his she just wasn’t telling him or anyone that. The less she would have to see of Rhaegar the better because she knew Brandon didn’t go around talking about his little sister to his friends so she could keep this secret to herself easily. 

“I appreciate the sentiment but I promise you have nothing to be concerned over when it comes to me or my child. Now if you’ll excuse me I was on my way to the bathroom.” She said as she walked past him further into the house. 

Talking to Rhaegar was unavoidable and she knew that but it didn’t make actually seeing him any easier to deal with. She felt guilty for lying and not allowing him the experience to be a father to her child but he had a child already with his fiancée and Lyanna didn’t want to be a part of their relationship falling apart. 

If only the party was over or she could just lock herself in her room for a few hours. She wasn’t exactly dreading this day but it wasn’t entirely something she had been looking forward to either. It was exhausting talking to everyone and having them ask personal questions she wasn’t comfortable sharing the answers to. Plus talking to Rhaegar didn’t help her mood any either. She really wished the party was over but after taking a few mintues to herself she decided to head back into the crowd completely unaware of Rhaegar Targaryens eyes on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to make it clear that this is not going to be a Rhaegar/Lyanna story and the Targaryens won't really play much of a role in this fic at all. obviously Rhaegar will be mentioned and seen a little because of his history with Lyanna but this is a stark family fic. Anyway hopefully next chapter won't take me as long to write and as always comments and critiques are welcome!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robb has arrived and the Starks are overjoyed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! Good news, I think i'm starting to get the hang of dialogue but that doesn't mean I'm very good at it yet. Anyway hopefully you all can enjoy this chapter despite any of my failings and thank you for all the kudos since last chapter I really appreciate it:)

It was a chilly morning when Lyanna woke to the news that she was officially an aunt. Despite it still being Summer the seasons had already begun to change so even though her nephew was a summer child he was born in the cold as all Starks seemed to be. Robb was his name and he was perfectly healthy. She had yet to see him as he was born so early in the morning no one but Ned and Catelyn were at the hospital. 

Benjen could hardly keep his excitement contained as she made her way down stairs for breakfast. He was no longer the baby of the family and was looking forward to babysitting and spending time with his new nephew. Lyanna only hoped he didn’t get too overwhelmed with babies in the coming months as she neared her own due date. 

“When are we going to leave for the hospital? I can’t wait to meet Robb.” Benjen was talking to their father as she rounded the corner to the kitchen. 

“As soon as everyone is ready. I trust you know not to rush Lya or she will deliberately slow down the process to spite you” Her father said. 

Not even noticing she had entered the room her response seemed to startle both of the Stark men. 

“Not today Father of mine, I’m just as eager to meet little Robb as Ben is. Plus I’d like to see what I’m in for in a few months.” The more Lyanna thought about it the more she was getting somewhat apprehensive about the whole birthing process. From what she knew Catelyn was in labor for nearly a whole day before Robb was actually born and everything she knew about birthing a babe sounded excruciatingly painful. She had however, heard through the grapevine that apparently mothers forget the pain afterwards so there was at least that to look forward too. Not to mention this was one of the best hospitals in the nation so if something were to go wrong this is the place she would want to be. 

“Alright then, we’ll leave after breakfast. I’m eager to meet my first grandchild and certainly not my last.” Rickard smiled at her and departed from the room. 

“Do you think Brandon will meet us at the hospital. He knows Cat went into labor yesterday but so far hasn’t answered any of my calls this morning.” Benjen asked her. 

“Don’t worry about Bran, he’s a big boy he can take care of himself. He’s been looking forward to meeting his nephew just like the rest of us, so he will show up eventually.” Lya tried to sound convincing for Benjen’s sake but the truth was Brandon had been somewhat M.I.A. for the past few weeks. When he was around, which was rare these days, he seemed almost in a daze. Whatever it was he did not want to talk about it because just last week he snapped at her when she tried to get to the bottom of what was wrong with him. Brandon had a quick temper, but he always apologized after exploding but this time he just retreated further into himself. She wasn’t about to tell Benjen any of that though since she didn’t want to ruin his good mood. 

___________________________

 

With everyone in such high spirits the ride to the hospital was full of anticipation and seemed to last longer than usual. Upon arrival they purchased flowers and balloons for Catelyn and baby Robb to enjoy. Looking around the gift shop Lyanna realized in a few short months she would be in her own hospital room filled with items welcoming her own baby into the world. 

The three Starks made their way to Catelyns room and Ned intercepted them as they entered the maternity ward. He looked happier than Lyanna had ever seen him. His usually solemn face was set in a wide smile that reached his sparkling grey eyes. Rickard was the first to reach him and promptly brought him in for a hug. 

“Lead the way to my nephew Ned, he and Cat are the real reason we’re here” Benjen smiled at Ned as he joked with him. That was all the encouragement he needed to usher the three of them into a room just a little way down the hall. 

Upon entering the first thing Lyanna noticed was how bright it was. Despite the bright lights Robb seemed to be sleeping soundly in Cats arms as she was propped up on the bed. She looked absolutely radiant, motherhood suited her well it seemed. As the Starks walked in Catelyn looked up and smiled at them. As Lyanna drew closer to the bed she got her first good look at baby Robb. What little hair he had was wispy and a dark auburn, his eyes were closed but with hair like that she imagined they were the same blue as Cat’s. 

“Oh he’s beautiful” She said with a smile that she couldn’t quite get rid of. 

“He will be a good strong Stark I can already tell. “Her father said almost beaming with pride for his first grandson. 

“He’s all Cat so it’s no wonder you’re all so smitten with him already.” Ned spoke with awe of his son and mother of his child. At this point Benjen seemed to find his voice and asked the question he’d been waiting all morning to say. 

“Can I hold him?” Ben didn’t really have a lot of baby experience since he was the youngest, so he might have been the most excited and in awe out of everyone in the room. 

“Of course, just make sure his head is supported. He should sleep for a while longer so no need to worry about him crying just yet” Catelyn said and passed the baby to Ned who in turn handed him to Benjen. This action started the passing of little Robb around to everyone in the room. Everyone was just as happy to be holding the little Stark as the last while conversation permeated the air. 

By the time Robb was handed to Lyanna she was about to burst with anticipation, she was never one to have much patience. The same thought kept running through her head since Robb was passed to Ben then her father and it was that in a few months this would be her and her own child. It was almost surreal to think about even now because while she was seven months into her pregnancy it was really just starting to hit her that she would be in charge of caring for and raising a little human to the best of her abilities. As Robb was finally placed in her arms her mind quieted and all she could think of how sweet holding her nephew was. 

“Lya are you crying?” Ben asked her with a smile

“No, alright I am but it’s just so overwhelming. Robb is so precious, and I love him already. In just a few short months I’ll have my own baby and if what I feel for Robb is just a fraction of what I’ll feel for them I am going to love them so much.” At this point Lyanna was sobbing but the good kind like after you have accomplished something you had been striving for. 

“For what it’s worth I don’t think you can even comprehend how much you’ll love your baby until they are in your arms screaming to let the world know they have arrived. It may frighten you at first but it all begins to feel natural very quickly. “Catelyn said and reinforced everything Lyanna thought about her being a good mother, she always knew the right things to say just when they needed to be heard the most. Lya wiped her tears and smile down at Robb. 

“Oh! He’s opening his eyes.” She was happy to see that her earlier thought was correct, and Robb did in fact have the blue eyes of his mother. Unfortunately, she did not get to look too long because he started screaming prompting her to hand him over to Catelyn. 

“He has a nice set of lungs, you’ll both be in for some very long nights it seems.” Rickard said to Ned and Catelyn. 

As Catelyn attempted to calm the baby down it became clear he was hungry which meant it was time for the guests to leave. After some quick goodbyes and promises to return this evening with dinner in tow Ned walked his family out of the maternity wing. 

“I didn’t want to bring it up in front of Cat to not dampen the mood but have any of you heard from Brandon lately. We called him this morning and he never answered he did send a one-word text of congratulations but that’s it.” Ned seemed worried about Brandons behavior as well. 

“He hasn’t said anything to us, as a matter of fact he hasn’t shown up at the house the last few days and you know how he loves to swing by and raid the pantry.” Rickard said with the same air of concern Ned held in his voice. 

“Bran will come around when he works through whatever it is that is bothering him. If not I’m sure I can squeeze the issue out of him if I bother him enough. He can’t refuse his little sister.” Which was true, Bran never could tell Lyanna no if she pestered him hard enough. 

_________________________

 

After getting home from the hospital Lyanna found herself in her room making a list of all the things she still had to do before her baby was born. Robbs birth was a swift reminder that her final two months would be over before she knew it and she felt there was still so much left to do. For one thing she didn’t even have the crib put together and it was still sitting in the attic waiting to be brought down to her room. In a selfish way this was the worst time for Brandon to retreat into himself because with the new baby Ned and Cat were surely going to be too busy. Benjen would have to be enough help for now but he was only 14 and didn’t know the first thing about babies but she supposes that was all going to change now. 

Putting together cribs and making sure she had the proper baby equipment was one issue but there were still others that plagued her mind. At least with Robbs birth she would have some extra practice holding and caring for newborns. They always seemed so breakable and the thought of accidently hurting her baby was something she worried about constantly. 

Looking at the list she was compiling it became obvious that she had not given much thought beyond what she would do once the baby was born. She knew the answers to the big picture stuff, come back home to the room she had always lived in and in a year’s time start university. She hadn’t thought too much of baby names or how she would handle the day to day care of her child. She didn’t even know the sex of her baby because the thrill of not knowing was too exciting for her to pass up. She had two months left before her whole life officially changed and a lot of it wasn’t going to be something she could perfectly plan for and that was okay. She would take it one day at a time and know her family was there to back her up when needed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 5 is finally here after months of writers block and low motivation. its subpar but now I've entered the part of the story that i started this for in the first place. full disclosure i did not edit this chapter very much at all. I just started a new job and am just too tired so i'm posting what i've got or it may never get posted.

“Lya, are you alright? That’s the second time this morning you’ve spaced out with a pained look on your face.” 

“I’m fine Cat really, it’s just a bit of indigestion” 

At least she hoped it was just indigestion and nothing more. She’d been having these pains all morning and they weren’t going away but getting more frequent and stronger. She knew it could be labor but it was too soon for that, she was only just now hitting the eighth month of her pregnancy. And if she was being truly honest with herself she was more than a bit frightened at the idea of actually giving birth so she needed that extra month. 

Unfortunately for Lyanna, Catelyn didn’t seem to buy her indigestion excuse. 

“I think you are forgetting I just had a baby myself. Indigestion isn’t the problem here and you know it. You should go to the hospital and make sure everything is alright. At the very least call Dr. Luwin.” Catelyn was a pragmatic woman and more often than not the voice of reason for Lyanna and a guiding hand to all things pregnancy and motherhood related despite being a new mother herself. 

“No, no its fine really I just need to walk around a bit. Perhaps Robb could use some fresh air and we could go for a short walk” Lyanna just wanted to do something that would get her mind off the frequent pains and keep the fear of giving birth at bay. As her due date was creeping closer the early anxieties of realizing she was pregnant started to come back with a vengeance. This time there was no putting them off for she was nearing the end of everything. 

“I was actually planning on taking a short stroll with him for a change of scenery.” Catelyn contemplated and then glanced towards lyanna with worry in her eyes “We can go for a walk on one condition, you tell me if you start to have any more pains today. I don’t want to have to call you family and tell them something bad happened to you and the baby because you refused to go the hospital” 

“We have a deal then” Lyanna said with a smile and then went to grab her coat and slip into some shoes. Unfortunately for her as soon as she bent down the pain returned and was much stronger this time causing her to let out an audible groan that sent Catelyn rushing into the room with little Robb in her arms. 

“ The only walking it looks like we’ll be doing is to the car to get you to the hospital” Catelyn quipped. 

Lyanna thought it was nice of Cat to try and add some humor to the situation to help keep her calm but it didn’t have the intended affect. At that moment she knew that this was it, she would go to the hospital and leave it with a baby. The thought was terrifying, yet Catelyn was quick to stop her from freezing up in fear. 

“Alright, let me get Robb into his car seat and then we can head off to the hospital. I’ll call Ned once we get there and have him notify your father and other brothers. You just focus on what the Doctors tell you. You still have a month to your due date this could just be Braxton hicks so try not to worry until we get a professional opinion.” 

\-------

 

It wasn’t Braxton Hicks. 

Getting to the hospital Lyanna was whisked away to the maternity ward where Dr. Luwin was paged. After a quick examination it was determined she was in labor. In the meantime, Catelyn was in the waiting room calling the rest of the Stark clan and relaying the news to them. Unsurprisingly they all dropped what they were doing to come join the wait for the newest member of their family. The wait proved to be longer than it was for Robb and by hour 21 all the Starks in the waiting room were fast asleep, so it was rather startling when the nurse arrived to bring Rickard back to see his daughter and newest grandson. 

Lyanna looked up for a brief moment as her father entered her hospital room. She was relaxed on the bed with her newborn son in her arms as he slept soundly. She still couldn’t quite believe that she was now a mother with a whole life outside of her own to look out for. There was still a bit of apprehension about having to raise another person but she had made it through labor and couldn’t remember why she had been so scared. Her world was at peace when she stared into the face of her little boy. 

“How are you feeling?” Her fathers words broke her out of her thoughts. 

“I’m good, more than good really. I don’t exactly have the words I want to even describe the feelings I have right now, I’m not sure love gets the job done. Would you like to see your grandson?” Lyanna shifted the sleeping babe in her arms so that his face was visible to her excited father. 

“He’s a Stark alright. I’m proud of how brave you’ve been through this ordeal Lya, your mother would be too. I know she’d be sad about not being here for you through your pregnancy and now the raising of your boy. Just know that I’m proud of you and here for you always, as are your brothers.” Rickard seemed almost choked up as he spoke. Lyanna knew that her father always had trouble expressing his feelings and for him to say he was proud of her and that her mother would have been too meant a lot. 

“Would you like to hold him?” Her father nodded and she handed him over with the gentlest of care. “Where is everyone else? I was sure they would be tripping over each other to get in here and see their new nephew.” 

“Well Brandon and Benjen are both fast asleep. They tried to stay up the whole night waiting for news but passed out not too long ago, poor fools almost made it too. Ned and Catelyn went home with Robb and will surely be back as soon as they wake for the day” Rickard said as he looked upon his grandson with awe. After a few moments of sitting in comfortable silence the door opened to reveal a disheveled Brandon and Benjen Stark. 

“Why didn’t anyone wake us when the nurse came to share the news?” Benjen seemed almost offended he’d been left to get some sleep, almost unheard of for a teenage boy. 

Brandon and Benjen crossed the room and greeted Lya before moving onto their father who still held her son. Both of them were in just as much awe as they were of Robb about a month ago. Only this time Brandon seemed to be in higher spirits, not by much, but whatever it was that he’d been hiding was far from his mind on this day. Lyanna made a mental note to really work on getting him to open up to her about his issues once she was discharged from the hospital. 

“So does our nephew have a name yet and please don’t say Aegon, I know you always loved the stories of Aegon and his sisters as a girl but for the love you hold for this family do not do that to my nephew.” Brandon joked

“Haha Bran, but no I think I’d like to name him Jon. I know that was a name Ned and Cat thought of for Robb but I really enjoyed the simplicity of it. I’d like to ask them first before I make it official though.” 

“Jon Stark, he wears it well” Rickard said and both Brandon and Benjen were quick to agree. 

\-------

 

After her father and two brothers visited for a few minutes they left so Lyanna could get some much-needed rest for a few hours before Ned and Catelyn showed up. The nurses took her son to the nursery, so she could have a peaceful rest. She only woke to the nurses bringing him back into the room after a few hours like she had requested. Not too long after Ned and Cat appeared along with Howland Reed. 

“Good morning, here to finally see your nephew” Lyanna smiled as Cat rushed to greet her. 

“Oh Lya, He’s beautiful! May I hold him?” She nodded at Cat’s request and handed her son to the woman who would be his aunt. Ned and Howland moved closer to them as Catelyn asked “Have you decided on a name?” 

“I’d like to call him Jon if the two of you weren’t planning on saving that for any other son you might have.” Lyanna looked to Ned for confirmation

“Jon Stark, that’s a good name for my nephew. He’ll wear it well I’m sure.” Ned smiled at her. 

“That’s what father said as well. Jon. I’ll have to have make it official now and get his birth certificate signed.” Lyanna said

Catelyn passed Jon over for Ned to hold. As Ned held his nephew his eyes opened revealing the same dark grey as his mothers. Holding Jon was a bit different to holding his own son. As Lyanna chatted with Cat and Howland, Ned prayed for Robb and Jon to grow up as close as brothers with only love between them. 

\-------

 

It wasn’t until the evening that Lyanna was left alone. All day she had a visitor at any given moment and she was relishing the peace and quiet she now gets to share with her son. Jon was a quiet babe and seemed almost contemplative of the world around him even at his barely one day old age. Just spending time with him alone was enough to sooth Lyanna into feeling nothing but love. She marveled at the fact that she brought this little life into the world. 

Now was the true test though, she was alone. Sure there were nurses on call to help if she needed it but this would be her first night with Jon and she wanted to enjoy it on her own. She’d soon go home and have to spend every night with her father and Benjen there as well. And this now in the hospital was time for she and Jon to bond, just the two of them. 

“Do you understand how much I love you. Probably not you’re much to young. But I promise you this Jon, I will love and protect you for the rest of my days and do my best to ensure you want for nothing.” She used to think it was silly to speak to newborns like they could understand you but here holding her son in her arms she found it was just felt right. She would be okay, Jon would be okay. The two of them would have each other and now that her baby was actually here she didn’t feel so scared at the prospect of motherhood anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think or ask any questions in the comments. This is my first fic so I will take any tips on writing I can get, especially where dialogue is concerned, just please be kind. Also I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes it has never been a strength of mine despite being a native English speaker. 
> 
> I've got the first few chapters of this story planned out and a rough outline of where everything will go beyond that. I won't make any promises on an update schedule but i'll try not to procrastinate on writing too much.


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